1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
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1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org 1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

a2z.org
11.07.2015 Views

church is called the Kingdom. It is not perfect, however, norpure, for in it tares and wheat grow together, until the tares aregathered out of his kingdom. They could not, of course, begathered out unless they were in.Some think the kingdom means the earth, and that to gather thetares out of His kingdom means to rid the earth of all the worldof mankind, except the saints. But if we understand theirposition, they do not seem consistent, for they teach that insteadof taking out the tares, the Lord will take out the saints, leavingthe world of mankind on the kingdom (if the earth is thekingdom) to be burned up. We seriously doubt if the earth isever called the kingdom.We understand that during the Jewish and Gospel ages, thekingdom of God has been in a process of preparation; but it isnot fully prepared until the end of the Gospel age, when the taresare separated, then the wheat shall be exalted to glorious power,and then begin to "shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of theirFather."It seems that when the kingdom is prepared it is time to set it up,as it could not be set up (put in power-- glorified) if it had noexistence, or before it was fully prepared. Just so the Papalchurch (woman) could not have been placed in power--i.e.,could not have been set up on the beast (Rev. 17,) before shehad an existence or before she was prepared for that step, by thecompleteness of the falling away, or apostasy from Christ. Whenthe counterfeit kingdom was thus prepared, and set up--put inpower--She was then prepared and ready to gather within herpale the millions upon millions who would not previously havelistened to her voice. So we believe when the true church orkingdom of Christ is set up, she will then be prepared to gatherto her pale those who will hear her voice.It seems to the writer that the setting up of this kingdom islaying the foundation of the world--to come-- the third andendless order of things, and that it is so prepared and set up forthe benefit of mankind, seems clear from the text, and also fromthe fact that "The Spirit and the Bride" shall say "Come."The scene in our text is laid when the Son of Man shall havecome in His glory; and that the saints are with Him in glorybefore He thus comes is evident, because the gatheringR207 : page 2of the saints to Christ must precede their coming or appearingwith Him; and Paul tells us that "When Christ who is our lifeshall appear, we also shall appear with Him in glory." Col. 3:4.Let this fact be noted and it will be seen that the "sheep" ofMatt. 25, are not the saints who are already rewarded and withChrist, but another class. It is not our notion, as some think, but

Paul's statement, that "The saints shall judge the world." 1 Cor.6:2.With this view that it is the foundation of the third world atwhich the kingdom is prepared, another passage appearsluminous; "According as He hath chosen us in Him before thefoundation of the world." Eph. 1:4. It seems more in keepingwith the gospel conditions that we are chosen during the gospelage, in order to be prepared to share in laying the foundation ofthe coming world or order of things, and also as the next verseasserts to adopt children by Jesus Christ to Himself, than that wewere chosen, as some express it, "Away back in the counsels ofeternity," when we had no responsibility in the matter. Themeans by which we are chosen in Christ are not omitted by theapostle, which show that though the Lord is the prime mover inthe work, yet they involve the mental action and obedience ofthe chosen one: "Through sanctification of the Spirit and beliefof the truth." We do not doubt that the plan to the end wasknown and arranged from the beginning, but the man is chosenwhen the truth is applied and obeyed. We regard it as awonderful privilege thus to be called out, and so to be present atthe laying of the foundation of the future order of things--"Theworld to come," in which all nations shall be blessed.J. H. P.====================R207 : page 2NEW VERSION OF THE N.T.The necessity for a better translation of the New Testament andfrom older and more authentic MSS., has long existed and nowseems about to be realized in the New Version just completedand soon to be published. [We hope the translators have beenbold enough to correct not only the many mistranslations ofwords; but, also the interpolations without the fear of man whichbringeth a snare. A number of these interpolations have beennoticed in a former number of the WATCH TOWER, as lackingin all old Greek MSS. written previous to the fifth century: suchas John 21:25. Also the words--"in heaven the Father, the Wordand the Holy Ghost, and these Three are one; And there arethree that bear witness in earth"--parts of 1 John 5:7,8; and thewords--"But the rest of the dead lived not again until thethousand years were finished" and part of Rev. 20:5.From what we have heard of this work, it will be very valuableand certainly a great improvement upon the present standardversion. But we venture the assertion that it will be a great leverin the hands of Infidelity, and will be used to overthrow respectfor Christianity, its teachings and its standard--the Bible, in theminds of those who have no understanding of how and why the

Paul's statement, that "The saints shall judge the world." 1 Cor.6:2.With this view that it is the foundation of the third world atwhich the kingdom is prepared, another passage appearsluminous; "According as He hath chosen us in Him before thefoundation of the world." Eph. 1:4. It seems more in keepingwith the gospel conditions that we are chosen during the gospelage, in order to be prepared to share in laying the foundation ofthe coming world or order of things, and also as the next verseasserts to adopt children by Jesus Christ to Himself, than that wewere chosen, as some express it, "Away back in the counsels ofeternity," when we had no responsibility in the matter. Themeans by which we are chosen in Christ are not omitted by theapostle, which show that though the Lord is the prime mover inthe work, yet they involve the mental action and obedience ofthe chosen one: "Through sanctification of the Spirit and beliefof the truth." We do not doubt that the plan to the end wasknown and arranged from the beginning, but the man is chosenwhen the truth is applied and obeyed. We regard it as awonderful privilege thus to be called out, and so to be present atthe laying of the foundation of the future order of things--"Theworld to come," in which all nations shall be blessed.J. H. P.====================R207 : page 2NEW VERSION OF THE N.T.The necessity for a better translation of the New Testament andfrom older and more authentic MSS., has long existed and nowseems about to be realized in the New Version just completedand soon to be published. [We hope the translators have beenbold enough to correct not only the many mistranslations ofwords; but, also the interpolations without the fear of man whichbringeth a snare. A number of these interpolations have beennoticed in a former number of the WATCH TOWER, as lackingin all old Greek MSS. written previous to the fifth century: suchas John 21:25. Also the words--"in heaven the Father, the Wordand the Holy Ghost, and these Three are one; And there arethree that bear witness in earth"--parts of 1 John 5:7,8; and thewords--"But the rest of the dead lived not again until thethousand years were finished" and part of Rev. 20:5.From what we have heard of this work, it will be very valuableand certainly a great improvement upon the present standardversion. But we venture the assertion that it will be a great leverin the hands of Infidelity, and will be used to overthrow respectfor Christianity, its teachings and its standard--the Bible, in theminds of those who have no understanding of how and why the

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